A senior Microsoft executive has denied the company will increase prices for Windows 7 upgrades in Europe because of the ongoing investigation into Internet Explorer.

Microsoft will not offer an upgrade version of Windows 7 to users in Europe. Instead they will be offered the full version for the price of an upgrade. This is because the retail version without a browser will not be ready for October and an upgrade would likely leave a version of Internet Explorer on your machine.

In a letter to the FT today Bill Veghte said: "We will not have an upgrade version available in Europe when we release the new operating system. Therefore, we've decided to offer the full version of Windows 7 to all customers at the lower upgrade price. In the future we may have an upgrade offering of Windows 7 available in Europe, and at that time we would revert to differential pricing."

The company also admitted that its recent move to offer Windows 7 without a browser was taken without the prior approval of the European Commission. The Commission gave a rather frosty reception [1] to that bit of grandstanding.

Tip of the hat to Computerworld and its entertaining report of its spat with Waggener Edstrom [2], Microsoft's public relations firm over this story.

And thanks to eBuyer which has let slip UK OEM prices [3] - Windows Vista with Windows 7 upgrade form is £90.90 for the 32-bit version and £91.20 for the 64-bit version. ®

Links

1. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/06/12/microsoft_windows_no_ie/
2. http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=operating_systems&articleId=9135007&taxonomyId=89&intsrc=kc_top
3. http://ebuyer.com/search?page=1&store=6&cat=107&subcat=2937

Related stories

• Windows and Office veteran ejects from Microsoft (15 January 2010)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/01/15/bill_veghte_leaves_microsoft/

• Microsoft's browser ballot bodge gets the nod (7 October 2009)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/10/07/microsoft_browser_commission/

• Microsoft's Windows 7 pretzel takes fresh twist (24 August 2009)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/24/win_7_price_europe/

• Microsoft's Windows 7 price gamble - and why it's flawed (1 August 2009)

  http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2009/08/01/microsoft_windows_7_discounts_gamble/

• Microsoft store crumples as Win7 promo kicks off (15 July 2009)

  http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2009/07/15/w7_promo/

• Windows 7 still baking in oven, insists Microsoft (14 July 2009)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/14/windows_7_leak_ie8/

• Most IT pros not planning on Windows 7 rollout (13 July 2009)

  http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2009/07/13/windows_7_scriptlogic_poll/

• Retailers prepped for Windows 7 family pack (9 July 2009)

  http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2009/07/09/windows_7_family_pack/

• Google polishes Chrome into netbook OS (8 July 2009)

  http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2009/07/08/google_operating_system/

• Microsoft takes Gazelle secure browser on road trip (6 July 2009)

  http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2009/07/06/gazella_roadshow/

• Windows 7 free upgrade generosity hits limits (30 June 2009)

  http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2009/06/30/microsoft_gartner_windows_7/

• Microsoft unveils Windows 7 free upgrades and discounts (25 June 2009)

  http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2009/06/25/windows_7_price_discounts/

• MS no-frills security scanner gets thumbs up in early tests (24 June 2009)

  http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2009/06/24/ms_morro_review/

• Windows 7 RC downloads to end 15 August (24 June 2009)

  http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2009/06/24/windows_7_release_candidate_expiration/

• Windows 7, Bing and security: Mr Ballmer regrets (22 June 2009)

  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/06/22/microbite_the_regret_episode/

• Microsoft: 18-month Windows 7 downgrade rights (19 June 2009)

  http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2009/06/19/windows_7_downgrade_rights_clarity/